 4* delightful Douro & Spanish highlights river cruise itineraryDay 1 Porto Fly direct from your chosen airport to Porto. On arrival, transfer to the 4: Fernão de Magalhães. After time to settle into your cabin, enjoy a welcome on board cocktail reception, followed by dinner at the vessel’s restaurant. Join our optional coach trip this evening to see the Porto illuminations and discover the 'City of Bridges' in its full glory. Day 2 Porto - Régua After breakfast, you’re free to explore vibrant Porto for yourself, but our optional excursion will take you right to the most iconic and atmospheric attractions. Stroll the cobbled streets of Porto’s Unesco World Heritage riverside neighbourhood, take in the panoramic view over the city and the Douro from the Clérigos Tower, visit the Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis, or marvel at the stunning gilded interior of the Church of São Francisco. Part of the excursion takes you to Vila Nova de Gaia and an original Port wine lodge for a tasting session. After lunch on board, we cruise leisurely to Régua along the Douro Valley, passing the locks of Crestuma and Carrapatelo, before arriving in pretty little Régua, a town situated at the point where the rivers Corgo and Baroso flow into the Douro. Perhaps enjoy a dance on board after dinner, or join our optional guided walking tour of Régua, with the Serra do Marão mountains providing a romantic backdrop to this serene town. Day 3 Régua - Barca d’Alva Enjoy a buffet breakfast on board before joining an optional excursion to the Royal Town of Vila Real, its historic core is filled with many warm, welcoming and port-pouring cafes, while the important buildings are found along the Avenida Carvalho Araújo. We’ll also visit Solar de Mateus, a storybook manor instantly recognisable to tipplers of Mateus Rosé wine, complete with ornamental lake and a tunnel of cypress trees shading a pathway through one of Europe’s most exquisite gardens. We return to the ship in Pinhão for lunch before cruising through the heart of the Douro Valley, where weathered fishermen wave from the shore, and the terraced vineyards shimmer with the reflection off the 'River of Gold' (Portuguese: Rio do Ouro). We’ll cruise into Barca d’Alva in the late afternoon, a very small town where the Agueda river meets the Douro, and traversed by a graceful arched bridge. Later, enjoy a Spanish themed dinner on board followed by a flamenco evening. Day 4 Vega De Terrón After breakfast, don’t miss our optional excursion to the city of golden sandstone, Salamanca, a name that echoes through the centuries. Surrounded by countryside that’s home to wild animals and the fighting black bulls, Salamanca is a showpiece to Roman, Arabic, Moorish and Christian architecture. Return to the ship in Vega de Terrón for dinner and the evening’s entertainment. Day 5 Vega De Terrón - Ferradosa Quay - Pinhão An early morning start takes our vessel past the locks of Pocinho and Valeria to arrive in Ferradosa Quay after lunch. Join our optional Port wine tasting excursion, as we follow the wine road which runs through the heart of this region, stopping to sample some fine vintages in charming wine-making quintas, or lodges. Return to the ship in Pinhão for dinner and a gala evening on board. Later on, perhaps take a stroll to the town’s old railway station to admire its breathtaking azulejos (tiles) depicting riverside life. Day 6 Pinhão - Porto After breakfast, join the coach for an optional guided visit to the town of Lamego. We’ll visit the leading medieval sites including the hilltop Castelo, the Old Citadel and the cathedral built in 1129 for Portugal’s first king, Afonso Henrîques. You’ll also have time to admire its central square lined by elegant 17th-century buildings, and visit the famous shrine of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, a church whose reputation for miracles attracts pilgrims from all over. Return to the ship in Régua and enjoy lunch while the vessel sails to Porto, arriving in the evening. Day 7 Porto After breakfast on board, savour the delights of a morning free in Porto before returning for lunch on board. In the afternoon, don’t miss our optional excursion by coach to Braga, the capital of the Portuguese Minho region and one of the most attractive cities in Portugal, with churches, palaces, fountains and gardens in abundance, including the shrines of Sameiro and Bom Jesus do Monte. Return to the ship will be in time for a gala dinner and folk evening. Day 8 Porto After breakfast on board join the coach for the transfer to Porto and the return flight to the UK. 
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